I've worn custom orthotics in my street shoes, running shoes and boots for years to keep my plantar faciitis under control. Recently, the short time in the gym without the orthotics has been enough to bring on heel pain.

I fashioned some insoles from a pair of Spencos by cutting them down with a knife so they fit in my Five-Ten Spires. They seem to work.

As a user of custom orthotics in pretty much all shoes I wear, I have to say I think they're going to work pretty poorly in rock shoes. Pretty much anything cushioning your toes from the rock that isn't rubber, especially things that could slide inside the shoe, is going to decrease performance.

On another note, what's the point in doing this? You're spending the vast majority of your time in rock shoes on your toes, which means the soles aren't really engaged anyway. This is not what orthotics are made to do.

However, I can understand this if you plan on wearing the shoes all day or in a gym, where you'll be standing/walking a lot in the shoes.

What could work is if you glue the back 3/4 of an insole to the inside of the shoe, leaving your toes normal. Even then you're sacrificing some performance, but preserving enough of it to work fine in a gym.

It must work, because this morning the foot feels much better. The ibuprofen probably is playing a part too.

Not to thread drift too much, but that was going to be my first question: What, other than orthotic inserts, have you done to treat the plantar fasciitis?

I've been out of the sports physical therapy career path for well over a decade, but we never provided orthotics unless an aggressive course of PT had been done without success (stretching, ice, NSAIDs, ultrasound, etc.)

Just curious is all. No offense intended if you've already done all this.

I climbed with a guy who wears orthotics in his rock shoes. His problem (sesamoiditis) was different than yours and this might have some bearing on whether it would work or not. He had orthotics made from carbon fiber. And he wore pretty comfy sized shoes (they were either Kaukulators or Megas). If you want to put them in super sensitive sport shoes it probably ain't gonna work, but you already know that.

Anyhow, it might be worth asking your podiatrist about fitting carbon fiber orthotics into your rock shoes. Let us know if it works.

I wear very rigid 3/4 insoles and I don't put them in my climbing shoes because the ruin the fit of the rest of the shoes. This doesn't bother me climbing at all but I struggle to belay because I can't balance properly without them. Has anyone else had this problem, or maybe an answer? Thanks

My husband made me custom molded carbon fiber orthotics for my climbing shoes. First he made impression of my feet in plaster, then he made a latex mold. After that he used carbon fiber in the latex mold to create the orthotics. He cut them down to fit them in my rock climbing shoes.

I need a very stiff shoe because I have arthritis in my big toes. I ordered a shoe 1/2 size larger to accomodate my orthotics. I love my orthotics and I am totally used to having them in my shoes. I honestly don't think I could climb without them.